The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.

Production occupations had employment of 9 million and
an annual mean wage of $38,070 in May 2017. Nuclear
power reactor operators ($94,350) was the highest
paying production occupation.
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Create up to 6,000 unique charts highlighting data for industries, areas, or occupations of interest. Overview charts highlight selected data for May 2017. Interactive charts allow users to customize charts to present employment and wage data for any state, metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, industry, or any occupation. Charts showing location quotients can be used to compare employment in a particular state or area relative to the U.S. average. To get started, click on the chart image to the right.

A Look at Occupational Employment in the United States

Over 4,800 unique maps are available showing employment, wages, and location quotients for 800 occupations by state or area. Employment maps show employment levels for the occupation in each state or area. Wage maps show mean wages for the occupation in each area. Location quotients are a measure of the relative importance of an occupation in an area, and maps show the share of an occupation's employment in an area relative to the U.S. average. Get started by clicking on the chart to the right. From the drop down menus, select an occupational group and occupation, and then select the indicator to map.

From May 2007 to May 2010, the U.S. economy lost nearly 7.4 million jobs in occupations that typically require a high school diploma or no formal educational credential for entry. In contrast, the economy had no statistically significant employment change in occupations that typically require postsecondary education for entry. During the recovery, the economy gained jobs in almost all the typical entry-level education categories. By May 2016, employment exceeded May 2007 levels for occupations that typically require no formal educational credential for entry and occupations that typically require postsecondary education. However, employment in occupations that typically require a high school diploma or the equivalent for entry remained nearly 1.3 million lower than in May 2007. This trend is projected to continue. From 2014 to 2024, occupations that typically require a high school diploma for entry are projected to grow more slowly than average, causing a further employment shift away from these occupations and toward occupations that typically require postsecondary education.